Short stories | Lecturia

H. G. Wells: The Triumphs of a Taxidermist

“The Triumphs of a Taxidermist” is a short story by H. G. Wells, published on March 3, 1894, in the Pall Mall Gazette and collected in the book The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents (1895). The story takes place in the small, messy home of an eccentric taxidermist who, between glasses of whiskey, enthusiastically reveals his trade secrets. With a sarcastic and provocative tone, he describes his most unusual achievements: from faking extinct birds to inventing non-existent species. The story, laden with black humor, pokes fun at scientific credulity and the obsession with collecting curiosities.

Bram Stoker: The Secret of the Growing Gold

“The Secret of the Growing Gold” is a disturbing Gothic short story by Bram Stoker, published on January 23, 1892, in the magazine Black and White. The story takes place at Brent’s Rock, an old country mansion where the arrival of Margaret Delandre scandalizes the community. After breaking up with her family, Margaret moves in with the aristocrat Geoffrey Brent in a relationship that many consider inappropriate. The relationship between the two is stormy and violent. In an atmosphere of resentment and overflowing passions, an intrigue full of secrets develops, in which the past threatens to resurface in unexpected ways.

Kate Chopin: Regret

“Regret” is a short story by Kate Chopin, published in May 1895 in Century magazine and later collected in the book A Night in Acadie (1897). The story centers on Mamzelle Aurélie, a strong-willed country woman who has never married and has no desire to do so. One day, her quiet routine is disrupted when she must care for her neighbor’s four young children. With no experience with children and reluctance to show affection, Mamzelle Aurélie begins a forced coexistence that tests her customs, patience, and deepest convictions.

Saki: Gabriel-Ernest

“Gabriel-Ernest” is a short story by Saki (Hector Hugh Munro), published in 1909 in The Westminster Gazette. The story begins when Van Cheele, an English country gentleman, encounters a strange boy in the woods on his property. His wild behavior and enigmatic responses arouse the man’s unease and curiosity. Later, the boy appears at Van Cheele’s home, temporarily taken in by his aunt, who calls him Gabriel-Ernest. Soon, disturbing signs reveal that this guest is more than he appears to be.

Horacio Quiroga: The Decapitated Chicken

“The Decapitated Chicken” (La gallina degollada) is a short story by Horacio Quiroga that was first published on July 10, 1909, in the magazine Caras y Caretas and later included in the collection Cuentos de amor locura y muerte (1917). It tells the story of Mazzini and Berta, a married couple whose first four children suffer a mysterious deterioration in their development that causes them severe cognitive limitations. The parents, caught between despair and love, are plunged into a cycle of anguish temporarily alleviated by the birth of their fifth daughter, Bertita, who grows up healthy and vigorous. However, the family’s apparent normality is only a facade, and a tragic event reveals the deep fractures that remain within it.

H. G. Wells: The Valley of Spiders

“The Valley of Spiders” is a short story by H. G. Wells, published in March 1903 in Pearson’s Magazine. It tells the story of three horse riders who are pursued across an inhospitable landscape, searching for a pair of fugitives. After several days of marching through a barren and lonely landscape, the men enter a wide, silent valley that appears uninhabited but soon senses an unsettling presence. As the wind intensifies, an unexpected threat emerges from the sky, transforming the hunt into a struggle for survival in an increasingly hostile environment.